MR, A. w. Preston’s meteorological notes, 389 
of the barometer for the week ending December 13th was 
29,11 in. On the 17th sharp frost set in again, and continued 
with but little intermission to the year’s end, although the most 
severe period was from the 18th to the 22ud, On the morning 
of the 20th the temperature fell to 19 degrees, and on the 22nd to 
15,8 degrees, which was the sharpest frost of the winter. There 
were frequent showers of snow, and on the night of the 26th 
a very heavy snowstorm from the south-east prevailed, doing much 
damage. The mean temperature of the month was 34,91 degrees, 
which is the lowest recorded for December for seven years past. 
Sum MART, 
Tlie general character of the weather of 1886, as may bo seen 
from tlio foregoing notes, was of three distinct classes. The first 
was a cold and cheerless period from January 1st to August 19th, 
broken by no permanent change, except a warm week at the end 
of March, another at the beginning of May, and a lino fortnight 
from Juno 24th to July 7th, The second period, from August 
19 th to December 1st, was of an opposite character, tlie gene ml 
tendency of the weather being to warmth and fineness. The third 
period, the month of December, was cold and winterly and very 
stormy, 'faking the four seasons in their order, the winter of 
1885-6 may be said to have been a cold and exceptionally 
protracted one, without, however, any extreme severity. The 
spring was cold and ungenial, and vegetation late, 'The first part 
of the summer was variable, but chiefly unsettled and sunless ; 
but the latter part was fine and warm. The autumn was extremely 
fine, giving place to a winter of even greater severity than the 
preceding one. The mean temperature of the year was, like that 
of 1885, under average, but the rainfall was about 3 inches less 
than that year, and about 2 inches under the average of the last 
twenty-two years at Xorwich. A perusal of the accompanying 
table will show at a glance the principal variations of the 
barometer, thermometer, and hj'grometer, the estimated amount of 
cloud, the rainfiill, and the general directions of the wdnd in each 
month of the year. 
